1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a terminal box for a solar battery module, to a rectifying unit and to a method of assembling it.
2. Description of the Related Art
A solar energy generation system supplies direct-current electricity from a solar battery panel on the roof of a house to electric equipment via an inverter or the like. The solar battery panel has solar battery modules, and electrodes of the solar battery modules are connected via terminal boxes.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 3498945 discloses a terminal box with terminal plates juxtaposed in a box. Ends of the terminal plates at one side are connectable with positive and negative electrodes drawn out from the underside of the solar battery module and the other ends thereof are connectable with cables for external connection. Bear chip diodes span between adjacent terminal plates and short an inverse current if there is an inverse load from one cable for external connection to the other. The bear chip diode has a diode functioning portion and two conductor pieces connect with the diode functioning portion while hold the diode functioning portion therebetween. The conductor pieces also are connected with the corresponding terminal plates by soldering. The bear chip diode is inexpensive and takes up a smaller area in the box as compared to a diode of the package type.
Excessive current caused, for example, by lightening may break the bear chip diode. The broken bear chip diode cannot be replaced easily since the conductor pieces of the bear chip diode are soldered to the terminal plates.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to make a rectifying device easily exchangeable.